CVE-2020-10553
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn issue was discovered in Psyprax before 3.2.2. The file %PROGRAMDATA%\Psyprax32\PPScreen.ini contains a hash for the lockscreen (aka screensaver) of the application. If that entry is removed, the lockscreen is no longer displayed and the app is no longer locked. All local users are able to modify that file.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceIn Psyprax before 3.2.2, the file %PROGRAMDATA%\Psyprax32\PPScreen.ini stores a hash for the application lockscreen/screensaver. The vulnerability stems from overly permissive file access controls that allow all local users to modify this configuration file. By removing the hash entry from PPScreen.ini, an attacker can disable the lockscreen and bypass the application's access control mechanism.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 3.2.2CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check Psyprax versionLocate the Psyprax installation and determine the installed version number. Common locations include the program's directory under Program Files or Program Files (x86), or check the application's About/Version information within the program itself.Affected if Version is less than 3.2.2
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Locate PPScreen.ini configuration fileNavigate to %PROGRAMDATA%\Psyprax32\PPScreen.ini on the system. This file stores the lockscreen/screensaver hash configuration.Affected if File exists at this location and version is below 3.2.2
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Verify file permissions on PPScreen.iniRight-click PPScreen.ini, go to Properties > Security tab, and examine the permissions. Check which users and groups have Write or Full Control permissions on this file.Affected if Non-privileged local users (such as Users group or Everyone) have Write or Full Control permissions, allowing them to modify the file
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Confirm hash entry exists in PPScreen.iniOpen PPScreen.ini in a text editor and look for a hash-related entry (such as Password, Hash, ScreenLock, or similar field) that stores the lockscreen authentication credential.Affected if A hash value is present in the configuration file, indicating the lockscreen protection mechanism is in use
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Test write access as non-privileged userIf possible, attempt to modify or delete PPScreen.ini using a standard user account without administrative privileges to confirm the vulnerability is exploitable.Affected if A standard user can successfully modify or delete the PPScreen.ini file
Environment is affected if Psyprax version is below 3.2.2 AND PPScreen.ini grants non-privileged users the ability to modify this configuration file, allowing them to remove the lockscreen hash and bypass access controls.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data3.2.2
Restrict file permissions on PPScreen.ini to prevent modification by non-privileged users, and update to Psyprax 3.2.2 or later which addresses this insecure configuration storage issue.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-10553 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-10553 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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